Automatic car-coupling.



1. M. ALEXANDER.'

AUTOMATIC CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1I, T914.

1,201,422. Patented oet. 17,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET II ATTO R N EY 1'. M. ALEXAmm,I Y AUTOMATIC CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION F'ILED JUNE H, 1914.

Patented Oct. A17, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 ATTO R N EY JOHN M. ALEXANDER, OF TIIVIBEBVILLE, `"TIRGIN'IA.

I AUTOMATIC CARfCOUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed J' une 11, 1914. Serial N o. 844,537.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN M. ALEXANDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Timberville, in the county of Rockingham and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Automatic Car-Coupling, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in car couplings.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of car couplings and to provide a simple, practical, and comparatively inexpensive car coupling of the Janney type, equipped with means adapted, in the operation of coupling, to be actuated by an approaching car coupling, and capable of unlockingthe pivoted knuckle and of opening the same, whereby such knuckle is automatically arranged in proper position for coupling, without necessitating a train hand going between the cars and opening or otherwise positioning the knuckle by hand.

A further object of the invention is to 'provide a car coupling ofthis character in which the automatic coupling actuated elements of the automatic knuckle opening means will lie beyond the interlocked poi'- tions of the car couplings when the same are coupled, So that there will be no liability of the coupling actuated elements being accidentally operated or injured through the relative movement of the knuckles when the cars are in motion.

Itis also an object of the invention to pro vide an automatic knuckle opening device f which, in event'of any of its parts being broken or otherwise injured, will not impair the action of the car coupling in its ordinary operations of coupling and uncoupling, so that injury to the automaticA device will not necessitate any repair to the car coupling while on the road.

With these and other objects in view the invention Vconsists: in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a view, partly 4opening link or member.

in plan and partly in horizontal section,fof two car couplings constructed inaccordance with this invention, and shown coupled.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, the coupling actu-v 'sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a longitudin alfsectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2. Fig. l7 is a detail per- Patented oet. it, 191e.

spective View of the coupling actuated lever.

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the pivoted locking device. Fig. 9 is a detail horizontal sectional view on the line 9-9 of Fig. 6. Fig. 10 isa transverse sectional View on the linel10-10 of Fig. 6. Fig. 11 is a detail longitudinal sectional View on the line ,11-11 of Fig. 1. Fig. 12 is a detail perspeon tive view of the laterally movable knuckle Fig. 13 is a detail perspective view ofthe knuckle.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures ofthe drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, 1 designates a coupler head having an integral guard arm 2 at one side and piovided'at the other side with an integral knuckle supporting portion or arm 3 v plings are coupled, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The knuckle 6 is locked in its closed position by a locking device 8 pivoted at Vits rear end within the coupler head and extending longitudinally thereof and adapted to be swung upwardly above the arm9 of the knuckle to release the same. rlhe locking device 8 is preferably provided at yits rearl end with laterally projecting integral v pivot studs 10, which are arranged in bearings 11 and 12 of the coupler head. The bearingV 11 is open at its front to enable the locking device to beplaced in the bearings,

and after the parts are assembled, the

'CJi

knuckle will prevent any displacement of thelocking device. rl`he arm of the knuckle is preferably provided with a laterally projecting integral lug 1B, adapted to engage with a shoulder 132L of the adjacent side of the coupler head to prevent the knuckle from pulling out in event of the breakage of the knuckle pin.

1n order to obviate the necessity of opening the knuckle by hand to arrange the same in proper position for automatical coupling, the car coupling is equipped with an automatic knuckle unlocking and opening device comprising a coupling actuated lever 14 and a Ylaterally movable link 15. T he lever 14, which is arranged in a longitudinal opening 16 in the guard arm of the coupler head, consists of a curved body portion tapered in# wardly and rearwardly, as clearly shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings, and provided at its front or outer end with a laterally extended head 17, which projects forwardly or outwardly at an extension 1S of the guard arm 2. rlhe extensionlS, which lies beyond the inner knuckle confining portion 7 of the guard arm, has a front concave face, and the opening 1G extends inwardly or rearwardly from the said concave face of the extension 18. The laterally projecting portion of the head 17 is slightly rounded at the rear side at 19, which is arranged in a vertical bearing recess 20 in the outer wall of the longitudinal opening 16. rlhe knuckle formed by the laterally extended head 17 projects through the opening in the front face of the extension of the guard arm and is adapted to be engaged by an approaching car coupling, whereby when the two carA couplings come together, the lever 14 will be moved inwardly to swing the locking device upwardly and then swing the knuckle outwardly to open the latter. Y

The inner end 21 of the lever 14 extends into a recess 22 in the locking device 8, and it has its rear wall 23 beveled and presenting an inclined face to the rear wall 24 of the recess 22. rThe rear wall 24 is correspondingly inclined andthe first portion of the inward swinging.movement of the lever 14 carries the inclined face 23 thereof into engagement with the rear inclined wall of the locking device and lifts the latter out of engagement with the arm of the knuckle. rThis operation is effected prior toswinging the knuckle. The inner end 21 of thelever is provided in its lower face with a cylindrical bearing recess or socket 25 for the reception of a pivot stud 26, extending upwardly from one end of the link 15. The link slides trans- -versely of the coupler head in a substantially is detached. As an enlarged end 29 of the link extends beneath the arm of the knuckle when the parts are assembled, the knuckle will maintain the link in a horizontal position and prevent the same from becoming accidentally disconnected from the lever 14. r1`he link 15 is provided adjacent to its enlarged end 29 with a pivot stud 30, adapted to be carried into a recess 31 of the arm of the knuckle by the inward movement of the lever 14, so that the continued inward movement of the Vlever will operate to move the link laterally of the draw head and swing the knuckle on its pivot `to open the latter. rlhe recess in the varm of the knuckle and the recess or space32 in the adjacent wall of the coupler head provide ample space for a limited movement of the link independently ofthe knuckle. The knuckle, in `'its closing movement, engages the pivot stud and moves the link 15 inwardly and swings the lever 14 outwardly. lf the movement of the knuckle is not quite sulicient to return the leverto its initial position, such movement of the lever and the link will be completed by the knuckle of the companion coupling head engaging the enlarged inner end 29 of the link. The enlarged inner end 29 of the link is approximately L-shaped, and projects into the space between the knuckle supporting arm or portion andthe guard arm when the lever is moved inward.

In order to enable the knuckle `to be unlocked and opened manually, the car coupling is equipped with a rock shaft 33 mounted in a slot 34 of the locking device and provided at one side thereof with a forwardly extending substantially L shaped arm 35, extending over and arranged to engage the lever 14, which is slightly rounded at 3G adjacent to its inner end 32 to cooperate with the arm 35 of the rock shaft. The rock shaft is provided at the other side of the locking device with a rearwardly extending arm 37 connected to the lower end of a lifting link or rod 38 extending upwardly through an opening 39 in the top of the coupler head. The lifting link or rod, which is designed to be connected at its upper end by a chain 40 with a suitable operating device (not shown) is .provided at its lower end with an eye 41, which is linked into an opening'42 in the rear end of the arm 37. lilhen the lifting link or rod is drawn upwardly, the rock shaft is partially rotated,

jwardly, the slot 34, which extends longitudinally ofthe locking device, permitting the necessary play of the parts incidentto the upward movement of the locking device and the 1earward or inward movement of the lever 14. The rock shaft and its arms constitute a lever which is fulcrumed 'against the front wall of the slot to actuate the lever 14. The said upward movement of the rod lifts the locking device and the inward movement of the lever actuates the link 15 and opens the knuckle.

As the automatic device does not depend for its operation on the action of a spring or springs, and .as the engaged portion of the lever 14 is located beyond the inner knuckle conning portion 7 of the guard arm,rthe said device is not liable to become broken or get out of order, and should the automatic device become inoperative through any means, it will not aifect the ordina-ry operations of the knuckle and the locking device in coupling and uncoupling, and will not require any repairs on the road while the Ytrain is traveling between the terminal points of its run.

What is claimed is 1. A car coupling including a coupler head provided at one side with a guard arm and having a pivoted knuckle at the opposite side, .a locking device for holding the knuckle in its closed position, a coupling actuated lever mounted within the coupler head and having a projecting portion arranged to be engaged by a companion car coupling, said lever being also provided with means for operating the locking device, and a link pivotally connected with the lever and provided with means for actuating the knuckle to open the same.

2. A car coupling including a coupler head, a knuckle pivoted thereto and provided with an arm having an open bearing or recess, a locking device for holding the knuckle in its closed position, a coupling actuated lever mounted within the coupler head and having a projecting portion arranged to be engaged by a companion car coupling, said lever having means for operating the locking device to release Vthe knuckle, and a link pivoted to the lever and provided with a projecting pivoted portion arranged t0 engage the open bearing or recess of the knuckle for opening the latter.

3. A car coupling including a coupler head, a pivoted knuckle, a locking device for holding the knuckle in its closed position, a coupling `actuated lever mounted within the coupler head and having a projecting portion arranged to be engaged by a companion car coupling, said lever being also provided with means for operating the locking device to release the knuckle, and a link carried by the lever and provided with means for `actuating the knuckle, said link being also provided with a portion adapted to project from the coupler head in position to be engaged by the knuckle of the said companion car coupling to insure a complete return of the lever to its initial position.

4. A car coupling including a coupler head, a pivoted knuckle, a locking device for holding the knuckle in its closed position, a coupling .actuated lever mounted within the coupler head and'having a projecting portion arranged to be engaged by a companion car coupling, said lever being also provided with means for operating the locking device to release the knuckle, means carried by the lever for opening the knuckle after the same has been released, and a manually operable device arranged to actuate the said lever.

5. A car coupling 'including a vcoupler head, a pivoted knuckle, a locking device for holding the `knuckle in its closed position, a coupling actuated lever mounted within the coupler head and having a projecting portion arranged -to be engaged by a companion car coupling, said lever being also provided with means for operating the locking device to release the knuckle, means carried by the lever for opening the knuckle after the same has been released, and a manually operable device mounted on the 'locking device and arranged to lift the same and to actuate the said lever. Y Y v 6. A car coupling including a coupler head, a pivoted knuckle, a locking device for holding the knuckle in its closedposition, a coupling actuated lever mounted within thefcoupler head and having a projecting portion arranged to be engaged by a companion car coupling, said lever being also provided with means for operating the locking device to release the knuckle, means carried by the lever for opening the knuckle after the same has been released, a lever' device fulcrumed on the locking device and provided with opposite arms, one of the arms being arranged to engage and actuate the said lever, .and lifting means connected with the other arm of the said lever device.

7. A car coupling including a coupler head having a'transverse groove or way provided with a depression, a pivoted knuckle, a locking device for holding the knuckle in its closed position, a coupling actuated lever mounted within the couplerV head and having .a bearing at its ends, a link having a projecting pivot adapted to be introduced into and removed from the bearing at the Vdepressed portion of the groove or way, said JOHN M. ALEXANDER.

Witnesses:

GEO. L. MINKEL, B. W. HILL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington,D.0. n, 1 Y u j x 

